Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Reflux is a condition in which stomach acids escape from the stomach
and flow back up the esophagus.

This is called gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD) or acid reflux, and it is experienced as the feeling we
know commonly as heartburn. If you experience heartburn two or more
times a week on a regular basis, you may want to talk to your doctor
about treatment options.

Causes

When you swallow, food travels down the esophagus to a valve at
the top of the stomach which opens to let it pass and then closes. In
reflux patients, that valve doesn't close tightly enough. Stomach acid
then escapes from the stomach and moves back up (reflux is literally
"flowing again") into the esophagus.

Managing GERD

For many people, prescription medications are often able to manage
the symptoms of reflux disease. There are also lifestyle changes that
can help patients manage reflux disease symptoms. Patients are often
advised to:

Change eating habits

Eat several small meals instead of two or three large meals

Wait two to three hours after eating before lying down to sleep

Avoid late-night snacks

Avoid food which contain high levels of natural acids or those
that relax the valve between the stomach and the esophagus. These
include spicy foods, chocolate, mint, alcohol, tomatoes, oranges, and
coffee.

Quit using tobacco products

Raise the head of your bed six to eight inches by putting the
frame on blocks or placing a foam wedge under the head of your mattress
(adding extra pillows does not work)